Update statement and Subquery

Question

I would like to use a Subquery to determine whether an update should be done on the OrderClosed status or not. But I can't seem to get this right.

Update Orders 
set orderclosed = 1 
where (
SELECT dbo.orders.ordernr, 
   dbo.orders.orderdate, 
   dbo.orders.salesdate, 
   dbo.orders.deliverydate, 
   dbo.orders.orderclosed, 
   dbo.invoices.invoicenr 
FROM   dbo.orders 
   LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.invoices 
                ON dbo.orders.id = dbo.invoices.orderid 
WHERE  dbo.invoices.invoicenr IS NOT NULL 
   AND orderclosed = 0 )

Or am I thinking to simple?

Answer 1

Try this:

Update Orders 
 set orderclosed = 1 
 where ordernr in 
 (
     SELECT dbo.orders.ordernr
     FROM   dbo.orders 
     LEFT OUTER JOIN dbo.invoices 
         ON dbo.orders.id = dbo.invoices.orderid 
     WHERE  dbo.invoices.invoicenr IS NOT NULL 
     AND orderclosed = 0 
 );`

Your where clause needs to have syntax like WHERE VARIABLE_NAME IN (LIST_OF_VARIABLE_NAME_VALUES)

You are trying to use syntax similar to WHERE (LIST_OF_MULTIPLE_VARIABLE_NAMES_AND_VALUES)

Answer 2

The syntax for a join in an update in SQL Server doesn't use a where clause. Try this:

Update o 
    set orderclosed = 1 
FROM dbo.orders o JOIN
     dbo.invoices i
     ON o.id = i.orderid 
WHERE i.orderid IS NOT NULL AND orderclosed = 0;

Note the following two changes as well. First, the left join is now an inner join , because you want matching records in invoice (based on the where clause). And this version uses table aliases to simplify writing (and reading) the query.